The quartet composed of Kira Ellis, Cedric Chua, Iñaki Lorbes, and Erika Burgos won the country’s seventh gold medal by taking the mixed team relay aquathlon event at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games triathlon competition on Saturday at the Kep Town Beach in Kep City, Cambodia.
Burgos, who finished the race for the squad, stopped the clock at 1:09:56 seconds, two minutes ahead of Indonesia’s 1:11:27 to capture the Philippines’ first gold in the triathlon discipline.
Vietnam finished third with 1:13:29.
Meanwhile, Andrew Kim Remolino settled for the silver medal in the men’s aquathlon at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Saturday.
The two-time SEA Games triathlon silver medalist clocked 15 minutes and seven seconds in the 500-meter swim, 2.5km run sprint event, won by Indonesia’s Rashif Yaqin in 14 minutes and 28 seconds in the seaside town of Kep, 167 kilometers away from here.
Singaporean Bryce Sheng Chong claimed the bronze medal in 15:39.
Remolino’s podium finish somehow gave solace to Team Philippines after Raven Faith Alcoseba placed fourth in the women’s aquathlon.
Cambodia’s Margot Marabedian topped the women’s side after the French-born triathlete clocked 16:09.
Thailand’s Aisika Kaewyongkod claimed the silver (17:15) followed by bronze medalist Dea Putri of Indonesia (17:33) and Alcoseba (17:43).
The 27-year-old Marabedian is a big threat to Kim Mangrobang’s title-retention bid in the women’s triathlon on Monday.
Mangrobang is seeking a fourth straight title after starting her reign at the 2017 edition in Malaysia.
